Cray wrote:Hey!
I need to get some freeride lightwind gear. My current quiver is made out of North Rebels (9 and 14). They are nice park and ride kites but now I need also something bigger, doesn't need to be park and ride, but I'm used to stable kites with a lot of depower.
1. Can somebody who has tested any two (or three) of the mentioned kites tell me what the differences are? I'm interested in the light-wind, boring, freeride performance.
2. If my information is correct, both Zephyr and Edge are still the 2013 models. When are the 2014 models coming out?
I've ridden all three, own the zephyr. The zephyr is not in the edge and dynes league in terms of true light wind...sub 10 knots, given same board, same rider, same wind etc. efficiency comes with the aspect and race design of the dyno and edge. The zephyr comes alive at 13/14 knots and it a great kite to practise your tricks, even unhook..but it pulls hard still, be aware. The zephyr is also the best kite in the waves out of the three. The zephyr has a great top end.
The link from plummet is a good one. Read the posts by puertz, I have ridden with him and his crew, they live in Darwin (shit capital of Australia) and have ridden all three kites a lot, although their pick for edges anyhow is the 19m edge (and I agree it is for some unknown reason to me a much better kite than the 17m edge).
Honestly you ride north which has its own particular feel, as does ozone. There is not much to be gained is anything with a 14m rebel and the zephyr so cross that one out.
The dyno has bar pressure and static grunt between the the edge and the zephyr and overall it feels like a north kite. Concur as well, as the wind picks up the dynes bar pressure drops while the other two increase...which is a good thing for the edge.
Personally I think you will like the dyno, and it makes sense given your quiver, but all three kites are awesome. If you go the edge go the 19m, it's equivalent to the 17m dyno and that's the only way you will maximise your gain for what will be an expensive purchase.
Hope that helps.